‘Marry One Wife If You Want to Live Long’ — Eedris Abdulkareem Advises Men

By Micheal Chukwuebuka

Nigerian rapper Eedris Abdulkareem has urged young men to embrace monogamy, insisting that marrying one wife is “the key to a long and peaceful life”.

The 51-year-old artiste offered the advice while reflecting on his own marriage, which he described as a “divine arrangement”. Speaking on the Olofix podcast, Eedris recounted how he met his wife in September 2003 after observing five years of sexual abstinence.

He revealed that he believes his wife was “specifically prepared” for him by God, adding that he was never meant to share his affection with anyone else.

The rapper, best known for his hit song Mr Lecturer, pointed to a significant moment in their two-decade-long marriage: his wife donated one of her kidneys to save his life. He described this sacrifice as a powerful confirmation of the spiritual foundation of their union.

“I met my wife on 18 September 2003. We got married on 11 December 2004. And based on what God told me to do, that is how I take my action,” he said. “Now, 20 years later, after I married my wife, God said, ‘I am not done with you yet’. You had a covenant with me. This is 21 years later. I want to show you one of the reasons why I told you that I have accepted your prayer.”

He added: “God gave me my own wife, not another person’s wife. Why will I be stupid to let another woman give birth to a child for me again?”

Although acknowledging that African culture and Islam permit polygamy, Eedris argued that true equality of affection is impossible. According to him, polygamous homes often struggle with “hatred and viciousness”.

“Truly, we are Africans. You are allowed to be polygamous in nature. Even Islam says that if you love women equally, you can marry as many as you can. But let us be very sincere. It is not possible to love women equally. You can only love one woman,” he said.

He concluded with a message to men seeking peace and longevity: “If you want to live long, make sure it is only one woman who gives birth to all your children. If you want to live a sweet life, make sure that it is only one woman.”